Add A Homemade Topping To Your Dogs Kibble
There are some simple homemade choices that you can add to your dogs kibble that may make it more palatable and even healthier. Cut up or puree fruits or vegetables, like carrots, green beans, and apples. Unsweetened canned pumpkin has fiber and may settle an upset stomach. Or try bone broth, which is thought to be good for the immune system.
Some owners may even opt for homemade dog food. However, such diets should only be prepared with advice from a veterinarian and a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to ensure proper safety and nutrition standards.
A fully cooked egg added to kibble is a good source of protein and, as a bonus, many dogs love eggs. However, some dogs may have food sensitivities to eggs, so avoid them if thats the case with your pet. If your dog isnt lactose-intolerant, plain yogurt, especially those with lots of active bacteria, is good for a dogs digestive system. Any of these foods mixed in with kibble may entice your dog back to their food bowl.
One downside of adding food toppings is that your dog may decide they wont eat plain kibble anymore. Therefore, you may have to be prepared to make topping kibble a long-term commitment.
What Is A Food Topper For Dog Food
A food topper is a type of wet food that is placed on top of normal dog food and when mixed it provides greater attractiveness for having more flavor, in addition to providing health benefits to the animal.
This food is rich in vitamins, superfoods, and probiotics, and what differentiates it from normal food is its nutritional value.
We can also use this feature as a complete meal and not just as a side dish.
Although people who want to avoid the supply of human food use this method, its an excellent option for supplying nutrients to your pet.
So in addition to being available in stores, we can also produce this food at home in a non-industrialized and cheaper way.
For this, its necessary to consult a nutritionist veterinarian.
What To Do When Your Puppy Won’t Eat
Generally speaking, behavioral causes of reduced food intake in puppies are very temporary, lasting only a day or two. If you’re wondering how to get a puppy to eat when he’s new to your home, try the following tips:
- Stick to the same food he was eating in her previous home for at least the first week or so.
- Feed your puppy in a safe place, away from distractions and other dogshe’ll probably feel more secure. Sometimes, though, seeing another dog eat can also stimulate a puppy into chowing down.
- Pay attention to the number of treats you’re offering, and make sure your puppy isn’t getting more than 10 percent of her daily calories as treats.
- If your pup is struggling with dry food, switch to canned or fresh food with more moisture, especially if he’s very young or teething.
- Check out the strategies above for adult dogs, many of which should also work in puppies.
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Does Your Dog Eat Treats But Not Food
If your dog is refusing dinner but saying yes to treats or table scraps, they may be filling up on junk food rather than their own dog food. However, if your dog has other symptoms of not feeling well, a medical condition could be to blame for their altered appetite.
For example, if your dog is happy, energetic, drinking water, playing, and not having any vomiting or diarrhea, it may be that they are simply getting too many calories per day in treats and arent hungry for their meal. They may also have outsmarted you, knowing that if they refuse to eat their food, theyll get tasty chicken and dog treats instead.
However, if your dog is lethargic, having any vomiting or diarrhea, starting to eat a bit then stopping, or drooling or licking their lips, they may not be feeling 100% well. Treats are higher rewards, so many dogs will be more likely to eat those rather than their food, even if they arent feeling the best. Think of a time when youve had an upset stomach but powered through to have your favorite treat while passing up the salad bar.
It is always best to be on the safe side and have any possible medical conditions ruled out if getting your dog to eat is becoming a frequent challenge.
Why Wont My Dog Eat In The Morning
If your dog wont eat in the morning but will eat later in the day, it could be due to many factors. It may be the bustle of a busy house in the mornings makes your dog anxious or simply that theres too much going to focus on food.
Free-feeding is often a cause of dogs turning up their nose to their morning meal. This is because your dog has gotten used to having access to food all day and so can eat whenever they wish.
Unfortunately with free-feeding, the food sits out for a lot longer, losing its tempting aroma, not to mention ants and bugs that come to the party for their fair share.
Try taking your dog for a walk first to stimulate their appetite. Try to stick to a fixed meal schedule and avoid free feeding.
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Theres Something Wrong With Her Bowl
The problem may not be your pooch or her food at all: It could be her bowl. Dogs can be finicky creatures, and it can be surprising how sensitive some pooches are to the bowls we try to use.
For example, K9 of Mine Editor Bens dog J.B. is petrified of the noises metal stainless steel dog bowls make, while my pooch Maya requires plastic or ceramic dog bowls because of a nickel allergy.
Auto-feeders, which cause a bit of a commotion when filling up the bowl, can also be a source of anxiety at times. Hygiene is also important for your hounds appetite. If your dogs bowl is grimy, she may refuse to eat out of it. So, be sure to clean your dogs bowl regularly to avoid bacterial growth.
Washing your dogs bowl in warm water with dish soap will suffice , but remember to rinse thoroughly and let it dry before the next feeding.
Puppy Not Eating Or Drinking
If your puppy is suddenly not eating or drinking and is showing signs of lethargy then its best to get them to the vet.
Make sure youre giving them enough exercise and then provide fresh water to them. If they drink and seem to be energetic and in good spirits, then its likely they just havent been thirsty.
If your puppy isnt eating their kibble, and has been on a diet of wet food, then the food itself contains fluids and so theyll require less water.
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Did Anything Change In Your Household
Some dogs may be sensitive enough that a change in their environment may cause inappetence. Examples include a new addition to the family , construction, having people over, or even a change in the location of the food and water bowls.
While noise phobias arent specific to your household necessarily, things like thunderstorms and fireworks can also cause enough anxiety to discourage your dog from eating.
Is Your Dog A Senior
While senior dogs may have lower caloric requirements than young dogs, and therefore may eat less than they used to, marked weight loss or a refusal to eat is not normal and can indicate serious underlying health conditions.
These can include, but are not limited to:
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Dental disease
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Stomach upset
Cognitive decline, mobility issues, or vision loss can also cause a dog to not eat if they are unable to find or get to their food bowl. It is important for senior dogs to have a feeding routine, that the food bowl remain in the same area of the house so that they know where to find it, and that they have a rug or yoga mat to stand on while eating to avoid slipping or having trouble standing on hard floors.
If your senior dog has gone longer than 24 hours without eating, they should see their veterinarian for a thorough physical examination and possible diagnostics to investigate the cause of their loss of appetite.
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Organ Disease Or Dysfunction
Puppies can suffer from problems in their liver, kidneys, endocrine/hormonal system, and pretty much any other organ or part of their body. It can be the result of problems they were born with , an infection, toxic injury, or something else theyve picked up.
For example, puppies with liver shunts will have stunted growth, poor muscle development, abnormal behavior such as head pressing, seizures, circling, etc. They may also have vomiting, diarrhea, or abnormal appetites.
Acute kidney failure due to a toxin or infection can cause decreased appetite, abnormal urination, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, etc.
Did Your Dog Just Have Surgery
It is not unusual for your dog to skip a meal or two after a surgery. The medications used for sedation and anesthesia commonly cause nausea and a decreased appetite, and medications that they may go home on, such as pain medications and/or antibiotics can also suppress the appetite.
You may try tempting your dog to eat with a spoonful of canned food or boneless, skinless, boiled chicken on top of their kibble. Better yet, ask your veterinarian for a few cans of a prescription gastrointestinal diet to feed for the first few days after surgery. These foods are highly palatable, are easily digestible, and can help counteract some of the gastrointestinal upset that can happen after surgery and anesthesia.
If your dog had oral or facial surgery, your veterinarian may recommend feeding only canned food for two or more weeks. This also means that your dog should not receive hard treats or chew on hard toys until they are declared healed at their recheck appointment. If your dog is refusing to eat the prescribed canned food, reach out to your veterinarian in case there are any post-operative complications.
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If Any Of These Apply Call Your Vet Immediately:
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Your puppy hasnt eaten anything in 24 hours
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Your puppy hasnt been eating well for more than 2 days
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Your puppy is vomiting
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Your puppy is uncomfortable or is in pain
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Your puppy is showing signs of lethargy
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Your puppy is showing signs of hypoglycemia like weakness, unsteadiness while walking, seizures, and even coma
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Multiple dogs in your home or among your circle of friends are also experiencing decreased appetite
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You know your pup has recently gotten into the trash or eaten something potentially toxic like human or pet medications, chocolate, cleaning agents, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or plants
Your veterinarian will start your pups health work-up with a thorough health history and a physical examination, possibly followed by lab work, X-rays, and other diagnostic tests. Treatment will depend on your puppys diagnosis and the severity of their symptoms.
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What To Do When Your Puppy Wont Eat
To get your puppy eating again, its best to figure out whats causing the problem first. Do a quick health check on your puppy. Look for cuts and scrapes, any problems with their teeth and gums, eyes, ears and paws. If you cant see anything obvious, its sudden and lasts a few days, check in with your vet for advice.
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Why A Puppy Wont Eat
Getting a new puppy is an exciting and busy time for new owners.
So it can be quite distressing when your puppy wont eat the dog food you put out for him.
You want the best for your puppy and know that eating something good with vitamins and minerals is essential to his health.
But what is the problem? Try not to worry too much as there can be a variety of factors affecting your puppys loss of appetite and eating habits.
However, the first step in determining why your puppy is refusing to eat may be a trip to the vet if you havent had a recent checkup.
This visit will rule out any medical reasons your pooch has a loss of appetite and is refusing to eat such as illness or dental problems.
Once you have ruled out any health issues, it is likely the reason your new puppy is not eating is that he needs a little time to adjust.WHY A PUPPY WONT EAT As humans, its not unusual for a dog to lose its appetite once in a while. As long as your dog acts normal otherwise, losing enthusiasm for a meal isnt a huge cause for concern.
But any sudden loss of appetite that is out of character for your dog and lasts longer than a meal or two requires veterinary attentionsooner if your puppy acts sick.
Young puppies have smaller fat reserves than adult dogs and cant go without food longer than about 12 hours before needing medical help.
Toy breed puppies are particularly prone to potentially deadly drops in blood sugar if they skip a meal.
Ways To Feed A Sick Dog
Once you know what you are going to feed your dog and have it ready, you may be wondering how you can best encourage them to actually take it. Wag Walking suggest a couple of ways you can do this without stressing the dog.
First, you can offer the dog food via handfeeding. This means they dont have to move, so they dont stress their upset stomach even more. They are also more likely to attempt to eat if it comes from your hand.
Secondly, if the dogs appetite is gone entirely and refuses to eat anything, you can force feed them using a syringe. This only works if it is a liquid, so a broth or something specifically prescribed by the vet is best.
A video demonstrating how you can feed a poorly dog with a syringe can be found here, courtesy of YouTube channel eHowPets, but if you do go this route, you should call the vet for advice and guidance so you do it properly.
Finally, in some severe cases, your dog may need to be hospitalized and given a gastric tube that will feed them without actually needing to eat. This is very rare and happens in a select few instances, and if it does then the vet would teach you how to use it properly.
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How Many Times A Day Should A Puppy Eat
Like human babies, puppies have little stomachs and need to eat several small meals a day. As your puppy grows, you can feed larger amounts less frequently. Your veterinarian can recommend a schedule, but Gale says these are the general guidelines:
- 4 meals a day: Recently weaned puppies of all sizes need four meals a day.
- 3 meals a day: Small breeds can transition to three meals a day around 4 months of age, while larger breeds make the switch around 6 months.
- 2 meals a day: Maintain two meals a day starting between 4 to 10 months for small breeds and between 6 to 12 months for large breeds.
Throw It On The Floor
Do you have a fussy puppy? You can take advantage of his playful nature to get him to eat his food.
Sit by your puppy and sprinkle dried dog food on the ground, a little at a time. As your puppy eats a piece, add another one further away.
Because your playful pup thinks this is a game, he will be more likely to take to his food.
It may take quite a few sessions, but once he has a taste for his food, you can transition to a bowl.
This method can be a little messy, so its best to do it outside. If you want to feed inside, grab a good broom and sweep up after mealtime is over there is nothing worse than feeling pieces of kibble crunch underfoot.
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How Long Can Yorkies Go Without Eating
A healthy dog can go up to five days without food, but its only true if the dog is still drinking water. You should never let things get that far without taking them to the vet, because some can go up to seven days without.
If your dog is sick, youll want to take him to a vet as soon as possible. If hes dehydrated, he may not be able to drink enough water to stay hydrated. He may also have a fever, which can make it difficult for your vet to determine the cause of his illness.
Changing The Way You Feed Your Puppy
It also helps to develop a reliable puppy feeding schedule, such as taking your puppys food away after 15 minutes if theyre not eating. This helps them to develop good eating habits. Ask your veterinarian about whether its okay to try this if you are worried that your puppy is not getting enough calories.
You can also try changing your puppys eating routine in an effort to help them develop good eating habits. Use interactive puzzle feeders to make mealtime fun. Use a different type of bowl or even a plate. Try feeding your puppy in a different part of the house. They may be distracted or uncomfortable in the area that youre feeding them.Offering puppy-safe teething toys can also help your pup.
If your puppy is still not eating, hand feeding might also help. Start feeding your pup from your hand and then hold the food bowl for them, until theyre ready to eat from the bowl on their own. Be careful with this method, though, in addition to using treats as rewards. A puppy that expects treats and extra attention at mealtime will learn to ask for that, every time.
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